Centripetal apparatus



W. M, FRIDELL.

'CENTRIPETAL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION man 1AN.3. 1920.

1,359,048. Patented Nov. 16, 1920.

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'such as will enable ot ATENT OFFICE.

WILLIS M. FRIDELL, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

CENTRIPETAL APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 16, 1920.

Application led January 3, 1920. Serial No. 349,207.

T0 all whom t may concern Be it known that I, VILLIs M. FRIDELL, acitizen of the United States, residing at lVashington, District ofColumbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCentripetal Apparatus; and l do hereby declare the following tobe afull, clear, and exact descri ation of the invention,

hers skilled in the art to which it appertains,-to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to centripetal wheels broadly, whether employedin a liquid pump, whether employed as a marine or aeroplane propeller orwhether employed as a fan. Y

It is the object of the invention to provide a construction that will behighly efficient in all of its varied uses and in which the mediumoperated upon will be drawn to the center and then discharged axially ofthe wheel in a form desired and with'the expenditure of minimum energy.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood fromthe-following description:

n the drawings:

Figure 1 is a section taken diametrically through the casing of a pump,embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the structure shown in Fig. 1, looking at thedischarge end of the wheel, the discharge end of the casing beingomitted. v

Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing a propeller wheel embodying thepresent invention.

Fig. 4 is a view showing the discharge end of the propeller shown inFig. 3.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to the pumpembodiment of the invention, illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, there isshown a cylindrical casing 10 having a non-corrosive lining 11 andprovided with end closures 12 and 13, the inner faces of which that areexposed within the casing, having non-corrosive facings 12" and 13. ,YCentrally of the closure or head` 12 is formed a bearing 14 for the pumpshaft 15, there being provided the usual stuffing box 16. asillustrated.

The shaft 15 is provided with an enlarged cylindrical end portion 17within the cylinder orV casing 10, which enlarged end portion is fittedinto and keyed within the central axial opening 18 of a carrier disk 19that constitutes the hub of the wheel.

' TNithin the lining 11 of the cylindrical casing 10 and against thefacing 12 is litted a bushing 20 the rear end portion ot the bore ofwhich is provided with an annular' race 21 that circuniscribes and isconcentric with the hub 19. Between the race 2l and the periphery ot thehub 19 are disposed bearing balls 22 that sustain the hub or disk whileendwise movement of the hub in the direction of the head 12, isprevented by the thrust bearing balls 23, between it and the annularboss 24 that is formed on the inner face of the head 12 and concentricwith the bearing 14 in the latter.

In connection with the hub 19 is employed a plurality of wheel bladesthat project or range in a general lateral direction from the verticalfront tace of the hub, which latter is illustrated to rotate in avertical plane.

Each blade includes a foot member that is seated in a correspondinglyshaped recess in the face of the hub and near to its periphery.Projecting from one side edge portion of each foot member 25 is theblade proper. Referring particularly to Fig. 2 of the drawings, it willbe noted that each blade at its connected end is curved transversely asshown at 26 and that the cord of this'arc of curvature is parallel withradius 27 of the hub 19 and spaced in advance of such radius in thedirection of rotation .of-the wheel, it being understood oit course thatthe wheel rotates with the convex-concaved faces of the blades directedforwardly. The transverse curvature of each blade is .of constantlydecreasing radius to the tree end of the blade, the outer end of thecurved free edge of the blade touching a plane including the chord ofthe curve 26 andparallel with the axis of the hub 19. In order that thismay be fully understood, the continuation ot the chord of the curve 26isindicated in dotted lines at 28 in Fig. 2. The inner end of the curvedfree edge of the blade terminates materially rearwardly of that radiusof the hub 19, (indicated at 2'?) with which the chord of the curve 26is parallel.

From the outer free tip 29 of each blade, the outer longitudinal edge ofthe blade is concaved, as shown at 30, for nine-elevenths of its length,the outer edge for the remaining two-elevenths of the length of theblade being parallel with the axis of the hub 19, as shown at 3-1. Thewidth of each blade at its attached end is substantially one.l

somewhat more than twice that of its at` tached end, while the maximumdiameter of the wheel is illustra-ted as slightly `less than ,twice theminimum diameter, it being of course understood that these specificdimensions may be varied to suit the specific conditions of use.

The inner edge of each blade is substantially parallel with the axis ofthe hub for approximately one-half of its length, beginning at theattached end. of the blade whileV thence to the free end of the blade itswings with a gradual curve away from the axis.

Through the wall of the cylindrical casing 10 and its lining is entereda feed pipe 33 that leads fromV a source of fluid supply, the pipeopening into the cylinder slightlyin advance of the bushing 20.

It will be noted that the minor bore of the bushing 2O is shapedtofconform to the outer edgesof the blades so that they may rotate inclose proximity to it,.when the shaft 15 is rotated, as through themedium of'a belt pulley 34,' while the remainder of the blades rotate inconsiderable spaced relation to the wall of the cylinder 10, thisspacing between the blades and the cylinder wall, providing a chamber toreceive the fluid tothe pumped and to permit of its passagecircumferentially of the wheel to be drawn between the blades of thelatter.

Tit-h this construction, it will be understood that as the wheel isrotated, the fluid will be drawn centripetally by the blades to theaxial chamber of the wheel, and having novent at the hub, will be forcedaxially of the wheel and'from its opposite end.. To permit of thismovement of the fluid, the head 13 is provided with an outlet 35 of thesame diameter as the inlet and axially alined with the wheel, while. toprevent re.- turn of liuid when the wheel ceases to discharge, va checkvalve 36 is provided for the opening 35. The opening is flared at itsouter end portion as shownat 37 to provide a seat for the similarlyformed valve and to limit outward movement of the valve and to insureits proper return under appropriate conditions, a helical spring 38 isattached to its central portion and to a spider 39 attached to the innerside of the head 13 and bridgingA the opening 35.V

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4C of the drawings, the invention isillustrated as embodied ina propeller. In this embodiment of theinvention, the propeller hub 19 is provided with a shaft 15 and theforward face of the propeller is provided-with a housingl 40 of bulletshape, to reduce friction in the passage of the propeller through themedium in which it is operated.

The propeller blades are provided with feet 25 that are secured insockets in the rear face of the hubthe blades themselves ranginglongitudinally of the continuation of the axis of the hub and curvinglydiverging therefrom,v at their outer end portions. The inner endportions of the blades are parallel with the said axis. Each blade istransversely curved and the curve 26 at the attached end of ea'ch bladeis disposed with its chord to the rear of the radius with which it isparallel, while the curvature at the outer end of each blade has thevsaine general arrangement as that prevr-V ously described, thisdisplacementV of the curve at the outer end of each blade with respecttothe curve at the inner end, being accomplished by a torsional bendingofthe blade. Y

The operation of the last described embodiment of the invention,is'similar to that of the first described, in that-the medium is dra-wnby the blades inwardly to the cha-mber describedV by the inner edges ofthe blades and from which it is forced axially and fromthe rear end ofthe wheel in cylindrical form to effect propulsion.

In both constructions described, the blades are su-spended by wires 41and 41 respectively, that are passed through the blades in ring form andsustain the tubular spacers 42 and 42 respectively.

It will of course be understood that the propeller described .may beemployed in marine work or in aeronautics and that the principleshereinbefore referred to may be embodied in a wheel of either particularform described or in awheel of other specilic dimensions for use as afan.

That is claimed is:

1. A wheel of the class described comprising a plurality of mutuallyconnected similar and equally spaced blades revoluble about the axis ofthe wheel, each blade being torsionally bent with the inner lend of itsouter end edge rearwardly of the outer end of the. same end edge.

2. A wheel of the class described comprising a plurality of mutuallyconnected similar and equally spaced blades revoluble about the axis ofthe wheel, each blade bef ing torsionally bent with the inner end of itsouter end edge rearwardly of the outer end ofthe same end edge, theouter end of the free end edge of the blade touching aV plane includingthe inner and outer ends of the inner end edge and parallel withvtheaxis of the wheel.

3. A wheel ofthe class described comprising a hub having a pluralityy oflike blades ranging therefrom at one side of the hub and along thecontinuation of the axis of the hub and vvith their outer edgescurvingly divergent from said axis continuation, each blade beingtransversely curved and torsionally bent with the outer corner of thefree end of the blade touching a plane including the chord of curvatureof the inner end of the blade and parallel with the axis of the Wheeland the inner corner of the blade at its outer end being spacedrearwardly of the outer corner with respect to the direction ofeffective rotation of the Wheel.

4. The combination With a cylinder having a bushing in one end portionand provided with a bearing, of a hub mounted on the bearing and havinga driving shaft extending exteriorly of the cylinder, centripetallyoperative blades connected with the hub and extending through thebushing into the unbushed portion of the cylinder, fluid supplying meanscommunicating with the unbushed portion of the cylinder, the unbushedportion of the cylinder having an outlet alining with the axis of theWheel.

5. The combination with a cylinder having a bushing in one end portionand provided. With a bearing, of a hub mounted on the bearing and havinga driving shaft extending exteriorly of the cylinder,ccntripe tallyoperative blades connected With the hub and extending through thebushing into the unbushed portion of the cylinder, fiuid supplying meanscommunicating with the unbushed portion of the cylinder, the unbushedportion of the cylinder having an outlet alining with the axis of theWheel, and an outwardly opening check valve for the outlet.

In testimony whereof, I aiiix my signa-

